History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c22.s1.37

v1.c22.s1.37

The people of these kingdoms were then Buddhists as all Mongolian peoples, generally were. Aryan influence must have therefore penetrated these hilly regions in ancient times. Who the kings were from the 7th to 12th century we cannot say. Certain it is that the Kunets the modern people of these parts are a mixed race "aboriginal Tartars by the mother's side but Aryans by the fathers," sons of Brahmins and Kshatriyas born of Kunet or Khaśa women who as mentioned in Nepal history were never unwilling to form such connections. Their progeny was and is treated as Kshatriyas; a fact which seems to western scholars inexplicable. But the simple explanation is that the Khaśas were from Manu's time treated as Vrātya Kshatriyas (see the śloka already quoted) and the marriage of Brahmins and Kshatriyas with them was never illegal in ancient times down even to the mediæval period. The progeny was of course treated as Kshatriyas. Marriage was formal but binding, the Kshatriya Khaśas being Vrātya. Hence there was no setting aside of Śastra in this custom which prevailed in the Himalayan regions where the emigrating Aryans, Brahmins and Kshatriyas having necessarily few women with them had perforce to take Kunet wives.